Namaskaram 🙏

*****

Ragini is combing her hair standing in front of dressing table while a beautiful smile is playing on her lips. Suddenly her eyes popped out and she immediately sprinted towards Sanskar who is sleeping peacefully on the bed. She started hitting him with anger which makes him to wake up with jerk and scream in pain.

Sanskar: Ouch! Ouch!!! Sweetheart… why are you hitting me?

He asks her trying to stop her. Finally he holds her hand and pulls her towards him. Ragini is still glaring him.

Sanskar: What happened? Why are you angry?

He ask looking at her beautifully glowing face. She frees herself and shows her neck where there is bite mark. He smirks looking at it. While she glares him even more. He kisses the spot and winks at her. Ragini hits him again.

Sanskar: What happened now?

Ragini: How the hell am I supposed to hide this now? I don’t even have something which will hide it. I am not going home like this.

Sanskar chuckles seeing her annoyed face. He pulls her towards him and she falls on his chest.

Sanskar: Change your expression Sweetheart. You look cutest when you are annoyed. Later don’t blame me for consequences.

Ragini pouts. She puts her head on his chest. He smiles and hugs her protectively.

Ragini: Find a solution na.

Sanskar: Let’s shop online!

Ragini: (looks at him) Which online site will deliver you by evening Mr.?

Sanskar: (pulls her nose) I have a friend here. She has a boutique. It’s very near and she will send us in minutes. Is it fine now?

Ragini smiles and nods yes. He smiles shaking his head. He takes his phone still holding her in his embrace.

Sanskar: You select what you want. This is the app of her boutique.

He shows her giving her his phone. She snatches the phone and starts seeing the dresses which will help her to cover the mark.

Ragini: (excited) Let’s wear same dress.

She looked at him. He frowned and peeped into the phone. He looked at the photo and then smiled. He pulled her cheek and nodded. She grinned and kissed his cheek tightly. He pulled her again.

Sanskar: Now why did you start?

He asks romantically. She hits him giggling and gives him the phone. He shakes his head and calls his friend asking her to deliver the clothes as early as possible. Once finalised he looked at her. She is staring at him putting her chin on both her palms. He raises his eyebrow asking her ‘what?’ She just moves into his embrace and cuddles into him.

Sanskar: Now what happened?

He asked hugging her.

Ragini: I Love You!

She kissed his cheek again. He smiles and kisses her forehead.

Sanskar: I Love You too Sweetheart.

Ragini smiles but suddenly pouts.

Sanskar: Why the hell are you getting mood swings?

He asks annoyed. Ragini giggles seeing his annoyed face. She kisses his cheek once again.

Ragini: I am hungry!

She says pouting.

Sanskar: (rolling his eyes) Your ice cream is waiting in refrigerator.

Ragini: (with puppy face) Not ice cream wala hunger. It’s real wala hunger.

Sanskar immediately rushes towards balcony. He starts looking at the sky in all directions possible. Ragini who followed him looks confused.

Ragini: (looking same as him) What are looking for?

Sanskar: I am checking from which direction sun raised today. You are real wala hungry.

He says with wide eyes. Ragini looks at him open mouth. She was about to hit him again while he starts running laughing. Ragini chases him while he kept running all the room laughing and escaping from her.

Ragini gets tired and sits on the bed still fuming and panting while Sanskar laughs and sits beside her. She starts hitting him while he pulls her into his hug.

Sanskar: I am sure some ghost has got into you. You are hitting me a lot today.

She hits him again with pout. He chuckles.

Ragini: You know if there exists any award for teasing your wife then you will be winning the first place in the whole world.

She says making faces. Sanskar laughs hearing and seeing her. He pulls her cheeks making her pout. He chuckles and kisses her forehead.

Sanskar: Give me half an hour. I will fresh and make something for us.

Ragini: (shaking her head) No! Let’s order something.

Sanskar smiles and nods okay.

****

Sanskar is staring at sleeping Ragini with smile. He kisses her forehead and slowly comes out of her hold and moves towards the balcony. He isn’t sleepy for no reason. So he just moved to balcony. He frowned seeing Viren sitting in the garden bench watching moon. He moved out of the room slowly and  reached garden.

Sanskar: Jiju!

Viren got startled by his sudden voice but then composed realising it’s Sanskar. Sanskar moved towards the bench and sat beside him.

Sanskar: Is something wrong? You are sitting here at this time alone leaving di ma there in room.

Viren: (smiles) Your di ma is sleeping and don’t worry even if she makes a small sound I can hear her. Her phone is on call with my phone.

He says showing the ear piece he is wearing with the phone connected to the call of Jeevika’s phone. Sanskar smiles.

Viren: Then about your first question. No nothing is wrong but I am scared.

He says sighing sadly. Sanskar looks at him.

Viren: It’s less than a week to her due date and as the time is passing I am getting more scared.

Sanskar puts his hand on his shoulder.

Sanskar: She will be fine Jiju!

Viren: I know she is a fighter but don’t know why there is this unknown fear in my heart. I can’t share it with her and scare her too. So just trying to pacify myself.

Sanskar: You are scaring me.

Viren: (sighs) Sorry! But I guess every to be father faces this. Even my friend was saying that he was scared as the time neared to his wife’s due date.

Sanskar nods. Viren looks at him.

Viren: (turns to him and cups his face) Hey Sanskar!

Sanskar’s eyes are a bit teary. Viren hugs him.

Viren: I shouldn’t have shared it with you. Sorry for scaring you. Trust me I will not let anything happen to her.

Sanskar composes and breaks the hug. He nods.

Viren: I am sorry!

Sanskar shakes his head no understanding him. Viren wipes his tears.

Viren: Why aren’t you sleepy?

He asks diverting the topic.

Sanskar: Nothing particular jiju. No reason.

He shrugs his shoulders. Viren nods. They both talk randomly and go to bed when they felt sleepy.

****

Sanskar is sleeping peacefully when there is sudden sound which made him to wake up with jerk. As soon as he wakes up he is showered with lots of flowers with 'Happy Birthday To You' song sung by few people. He smiles widely seeing all the important people of his life standing in front of him and singing for his birthday.

Ragini looks at Jeevika and she nods. Jeevika moves towards Sanskar.

Jeevika: Happy Birthday Babu!

She kisses his forehead lovingly. He grins like a kid.

Sanskar: Thank You di ma.

Ragini jumps on the bed beside him and takes him into a tight hug.

Ragini: (shouts in his ears) HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUSBAND!

All chuckle while Sanskar laughs hugging her.

Sanskar: Thank You Sweetheart!

He kisses her head. Dp, Viren and Nani also wish him respectively. Arjun and Nisha also wish her. Now the people left are only his three friends. They three pound on him and crush him to death.

Three in unison: (shouts) HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYY JEALOUS KINGGG!

All the others laugh at him while he struggles to even breathe.

Sanskar: (with difficulty) Guyss… guyss…

Three of them laugh and leave him. He breathes heavily. Once he gets fine he speaks.

Sanskar: I understand why di ma always says that you guys will kill her.

Jeevika gives him a 'I told you' look. All laugh. Vinay and Shravan pulls him.

Vinay: Now get up you lazy head.

They just pull him while others follows him. They reach to the hall where the cake is already ready. Sanskar was about to cut the cake but stops.

Sanskar: You three go stand far. Really very far.

All the three make faces and stand a bit far. But they have their own plans. They smirk looking at each other. Sanskar cuts the cake and takes a piece in his hand. He stops for a moment then turns and feeds his di ma first. He then feeds Dp and turns towards Ragini who is smiling brightly. He looks into her eyes for few moments to see any kind of hurt but all he could see was only the love for him. His heart feels so light seeing the purest love he got from her. He feeds her lovingly. He bends and kisses her forehead.

Sanskar: I Love You!

Ragini: (smiling) I Love You too!

They hear throat clearing sound from others and look at them blushing.

All in unison: Awwwww!

RagSan glare them while everybody laugh. He moved towards his friends once he fed nani. They three had it innocently. Then moves towards Nisha. Nisha takes a piece and forwards to him to feed him. He opens his mouth but she applies it to his face making him scream with irritation and his friends burst out into laughter. She hi-fies with three of them while Sanskar fumes.

Sanskar: Nishaaaa… you are out now.

He chases her while she keeps running all around the room laughing. Others enjoy their tom and jerry fight. Finally he leaves her when he successfully applies cake to her face.

Sanskar: Never mess with me.

He shows his tongue and goes to clean himself. Nisha pouts and goes to clean while all laugh. Later everybody give him his gifts.

Sanskar: (kissing Jeevika’s forehead) Now time for sleep di ma. You already stressed yourself today.

He says looking at her. She stamps her foot and goes to her room followed by Viren who chuckles at her. All the others went back to their places even at that hour of night.

Sanskar: You go to room I will come in sometime.

Ragini looks confused. He signs her to go. She goes to their room. He moves to Dp's room. He sees Dp who is about to sleep.

Sanskar: Bald head!

Dp looks at him and smiles. He moves towards him and lays in his lap.

Dp: What’s bothering you?

He asks caressing his hair.

Sanskar: Today is the due date. And di ma will be joined in the hospital.

Dp nods.

Sanskar: I never had any fear earlier but few days back I saw jiju scared. It led me to fear. I am scared dad.

He says with teary eyes. Dp smiles. He bends and kisses his son's forehead.

Dp: It’s common for a father to be to get scared. You think Jeevika isn’t scared? She must be scared like hell. But she is just hiding it from us because she was always like that. She always hides her fears. Don’t worry she will be fine.

Sanskar: Pakka?

Dp: Pakka!

Sanskar sighs and nods okay.

Dp: Waise what do you think? Will she deliver today?

Sanskar: (pouts) I want him to come out today. But don’t know what he wants.

He shrugs. Dp smiles.

Dp: How are you so sure that it’s he not she?

Sanskar: Mamu and Nephew secret!

He says grinning. Dp chuckles.

Dp: Will you give me something?

Sanskar: What dad?

Dp: A chotu sa Prince or Princess who will call me dadu!

Sanskar looks at him without blinking.

Dp: What?

Sanskar: You are already getting a grand child in less than two days.

Dp: He or she will call me nanu but not dadu.

Sanskar: What’s the difference?

Dp: Nothing but I want someone who calls me dadu soon.

He shrugs his shoulders. Sanskar gets up from his lap and sits in front of him.

Sanskar: You want ma to come?

Dp smiles seeing his son. He cups his face and kisses his forehead.

Dp: You want her to come?

Sanskar’s eyes turn teary and he nods yes. Dp smiles.

Sanskar: Will she?

Dp: She will. She always wanted to see you and pamper as you are the youngest but couldn’t even see you atleast once.

Dp's eyes turn teary. Sanskar holds his hand.

Dp: So she will definitely come.

He smiles seeing at Sanskar's eyes which shined with happiness hearing his father.

Dp: Now go to sleep. It’s already very late. And you know it’s tension time for us tomorrow.

Sanskar nods and goes to his room after wishing good night to his father. He enters his room and sees Ragini sitting with pout. He smiles and moves towards her. He lays on the bed and pulls her to his embrace.

Sanskar: What happened?

Ragini: You say what did you do till now?

Sanskar: I just wanted to spend sometime with dad.

Ragini smiles.

Ragini: Then okay!

Sanskar smiles. He kisses her forehead lovingly. Ragini smiles.

Ragini: (playing with his shirt) Sanskar!

Sanskar: Hmm…

He hums closing his eyes.

Ragini: I didn’t gift you anything!

Sanskar: Wasn’t the whole plan yours?

He asks opening his eyes.

Ragini: Yes! But I want to gift you something special!

Sanskar: And what are you planning to?

Ragini: (pouts) Don’t know!

Sanskar chuckles.

Sanskar: (cups her face) Just promise me that you will be with me till the last breath.

Ragini looks at him lovingly.

Ragini: (looking into his eyes straight) I promise to be with you even in and after death.

Sanskar’s eyes turn moist. He hugs her to his chest protectively kissing her head. Ragini hugs him back tight.

****

Thank You for reading. Hope you liked it.

With Love
Dharani (Dhaరणि)